December is a very expensive time of year. You need cash and plenty of it to dress your kids, get them gifts, the Christmas shopping, its just money, money and more money. If you have the time this Christmas Eve and you live beside the city or have access to a car or the Luas take a walk around Grafton Street you will see plenty of buskers of all styles and shades. Last year, even the big stars like Bono got in the Christmas spirit and busked in aid of the Dublin Simon Community. That is the magic of Dublin at Christmas.
Grafton Street comes alive on Christmas Eve if you have any spare cash why not take a horse drawn carriage. The prices start from a modest €20.00 and you can get up to 5 people in a carriage their rank is situated outside St Stephens Shopping Centre, they will bring you on a romantic journey around the city, do it if you can its magical. You will see it the way you are suppose to see it at this festive time. You will see people been cheerful and getting into the Christmas mood, you will see all the window displays coming to life.
Remove yourself from the commercial side of Christmas and savour the festive surroundings you find yourself in, like the Christmas Market down at Spencer’s Dock. Free admission, floating on a platform facing the Harbour Master, is a new little Christmas village, dozens of little wooden huts selling trinkets and warm Jager tea, like something out of a German fairy tale with a brass band playing in the background. You don’t have to buy anything, you can just enjoy the vibe from the fun around you. Who knows you might even bump into me taking photographs you never know you could be in the next issue.
Of course Christmas is not about cash but you do need it. It’s about been there sharing and caring, once you and the people you love are there, and are in good health what more can you ask for? Not all the people you love are still here, so take care and have a good one and I may see you on Christmas Eve on Grafton Street, Henry Street, Mary Street, or where ever my legs may carry me.
Merry Christmas and have a decent start to 2011.
Alan Finn and all the staff at WWW.FRG.ie.
This article was originally published in:
Fountain News Digital – December 2010 (Issue 2)
We are re-publishing all articles from our past newsletter, Fountain News Digital, and you can view all completed newsletters here. There were nine issues published in total between 2010 and 2012.
